Gulag Orkestar

Today's Music That Jason Will Probably Get Into A Fight About At Some Point:

It's easy to nitpick. Nothing is ever perfect and criticism comes easy to most people, whether we like to believe so or not. If only this sandwich had more mustard, if only it were not so humid, if only so-and-so were a little more blonde. But is anything really above criticism?

YES.

Earlier this year, after having heard a couple of songs from Gulag Orkestar at The Lift one night, I purchased the CD. This album immediately endeared itself to me; through my first listen, I could tell that this was something monumental, on the order of the Arcade Fire's Funeral or even Neutral Milk Hotel's In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. This album is fantastic, inspired music, the kind of music that puts so much simple popular music to shame. But enough gushing, what does it sound like?

It sounds like a bunch of drunken gypsies who really know how to play their instruments, sitting around a fire, not really talking about what songs to play because they don't have to. There isn't much in the way of traditional rock instruments on this album; it's mostly horns, accordion, mandolin, and so on. The vocals will never be as smooth as say, Marvin Gaye, but they work perfectly with the casual theme of the whole album. It does have a bit of a dark tone to it, but it's hard not to fall in love with this album. There isn't anything contrived here to speak of.

Beirut is releasing an album on the 9th of October this year, and you can believe I'll purchase it as soon as I can. If anyone made a movie about my life, it might be lame, but the soundtrack would be awesome.

In Other News:

Saturday's plans fell through so I went to see Once. I wrote a gushing note about it already, but it's good, really good. Go see it!

Yesterday I had probably the best tuna sandwich I've ever had. I also took a dozen or so pictures of the sunset peeking out from the tail of a thunderstorm, giving the sky an interesting honey color.

This weekend went by way, way too fast, and it doesn't seem like I accomplished much of anything. It wasn't bad, really, I just couldn't keep up with anything in particular.